Anti Over: Two groups would choose players and each group would get on their side of the house. One side had a ball and some one on that side would shout ‘anty’ and the other side would say ‘over’. Then the ball was thrown over the house and if someone caught it, they would run around the house and try to hit one of the opposing players with the ball. When someone was hit, that person had to go with the other side. This went on until one side was all out of players, then they would change sides and continue the game.

Blindfold: Tie a blindfold over one child's eyes and the others would run around the blindfolded person just out of his reach. The first person to be tagged by the blindfolded one was ‘it’ then his eyes were blindfolded and the game continued.

Cracking the Whip: Several students would form a long line by holding hands with the strongest person on the front end, then everyone ran in a curved line and the tail end person would try to keep from being whipped loose.

Dodgeball: A circle was formed with one person in the center of the ring and try to hit a person forming the circle. That child would try to dodge the ball but if he was hit he would have to sit down. The game was over when no one was still standing.

Drop the Handkerchief: A ring was formed with everyone facing the inner circle. One child would be outside the ring with a handkerchief, usually a rag, and he would skip around the circle, dropping the rag behind someone. This person would grab up the rag and try to catch the dropper before he reached the vacated spot. If the dropper was caught, he had to stand in the center of the circle. If the dropper wasn’t caught, the game was continued until most were in the circle.

Hide and Seek: One person was chosen as ‘it’. He would hide his eyes against a tree and count to 100, then would say ‘a bushel of wheat and a bushel of rye, all ain’t hid holler I’. If all were hid, ‘it’ would go looking for them. The hiders would try to beat ‘it’ back to the tree before they were tagged. If one got tagged then he had to be ‘it’.

Hopscotch: Numbered squares were drawn in the dirt with a stick. Usually three single squares, then a double square side by side, another single square, another double square, then a circle to turn around in. Each child had a small piece of glass, broken window pane glass was flat and the best to use. One player would toss his piece into the first square, then hop on one foot over this square. Only one foot could be used in the single square, but both feet were put down in the double squares. When the end circle was reached, he turned around and the same procedure was used coming back, but picking up his glass as he reached his square. If this person made it to the far end and back without stepping on a line or putting down both feet in a single square, he tosses his glass in the next square and continues until an error is made. Then the next player gets a turn and the game can be played as long as the feet and legs holds out.

Jump Rope: When someone had a piece of rope, this was a popular game. We jumped to many different rhymes and the rope could be swung in several ways. When a jumper stopped the rope with a foot, it was the next ones turn.

Marbles: This game was played mostly by boys but some of us tomboys liked to play, too. Draw a line in the dirt and get a few feet away. The one that gets his marble closest to the line, gets to play first, the next closest goes second, etc. Next, draw a circle in the dirt and each player puts some of his marbles in the center of the circle. The first player shoots his marble from the rim of the circle and he continues to play as long as he knocks anothers marble out of the circle without his shooter going out. Each player always had his favorite shooter and guarded it closely. When a shooters marble goes out of the circle, the next in line gets his turn. The one with the most marbles at the end of the game is the winner. If the game is just for fun, each boy gets his own marbles back at the end of the game. However, if it is a game of ‘keeps’ each one gets to keep the ones he shot out of the circle. Some boys wound up with a lot of marbles and some only left the game with his shooter. My Dad didn’t want my brothers to play ‘keeps’ as he said it was a form of gambling.

Ring Around the Mulberry Bush: We made a circle of players with one person on the outside of the circle. That person would run around the circle and tap someone. Then the two would run around the circle to see who could get back to the empty place first. The loser had to be on the outside for the next time.

Tug of War: We got a rope and an equal number of players, usually two or three, would take each end of the rope and pull. A line was drawn in the dirt and each end would try to pull the other across the line. This was a way to tell which boys were the strongest.

Thelma Awbrey Gregoire sent the above...Thank You Thelma, can almost hear children playing!